New trains and more services promised as Government awards rail services to new operator

Overground rail services operating across south London are to changed hands after the Government awarded Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise to Govia Thameslink Railway Limited.

The seven-year franchise is expected to open up new routes, bring a new fleet of trains on services currently operated under First Capital Connect and Southern rail.

New state-of-the-art trains will replace existing carriages on the Wimbledon Loop from 2016, while there will new connections linking Croydon stations such as Purley with Cambridge and Welwyn Garden City in 2018.

Earlier Sunday service is also expected on the Wimbledon loop, and two additional trains between Wimbledon and London Bridge via Peckham Rye during peak hours.

With almost 1,400 new electric carriages being introduced onto the network, it is hoped there will be 10,000 more seats available for passengers travelling to central London every weekday by the end of 2018.

The routes to be taken over by Govia

Rail Minister, and MP for Wimbledon, Stephen Hammond said: “A world class railway is a vital part of our long-term economic plan. New state-of-the-art trains, more seats, better connections and improved stations will transform travel across London and the South East. That’s great news for businesses and the hundreds of thousands of passengers who use these vital services every day.”

Govia has also promised to invest significantly in improving stations, including free wi-fi at more than 100 stations, better retail and catering facilities and improvements to customer information systems.

The new franchise will replace the existing Thameslink and Great Northern franchise, operated as First Capital Connect from September 14 and will include the South Central franchise, operated as Southern and Gatwick Express, when it expires on 26 July 2015.

Comments

2) They'll float on the new success, make a fast buck, and then leggit. If they do this we'll see little improvement, even with a new provider. Privatisation Agenda's have not improved rail services. In fact they've slowed down improvements ( Source: http://www.theguardi
an.com/uk/2013/jun/0
7/privatised-rail-hi
gher-fares-older-tra
ins ). All because of how Shareholders are so expensive to pay off compared to normal Bank Loans.

Not a PLC, so no Shareholders. This will mean 1 of 2 things:
1) No Stock Exchange float will happen, & the firm will retain 100% Financial Efficiency.
2) They'll float on the new success, make a fast buck, and then leggit. If they do this we'll see little improvement, even with a new provider. Privatisation Agenda's have not improved rail services. In fact they've slowed down improvements ( Source: http://www.theguardi
an.com/uk/2013/jun/0
7/privatised-rail-hi
gher-fares-older-tra
ins ). All because of how Shareholders are so expensive to pay off compared to normal Bank Loans.christhegoth

2) They'll float on the new success, make a fast buck, and then leggit. If they do this we'll see little improvement, even with a new provider. Privatisation Agenda's have not improved rail services. In fact they've slowed down improvements ( Source: http://www.theguardi
an.com/uk/2013/jun/0
7/privatised-rail-hi
gher-fares-older-tra
ins ). All because of how Shareholders are so expensive to pay off compared to normal Bank Loans.

Score: 7

Michael Pantlin
12:27pm Sat 24 May 14

Better local services is a good idea but the HS2 monstrosity is an eye-watering waste of money to rip up our unspoiled countryside without even bothering to pick up passengers from the communities it devastates.

Better local services is a good idea but the HS2 monstrosity is an eye-watering waste of money to rip up our unspoiled countryside without even bothering to pick up passengers from the communities it devastates.Michael Pantlin

Better local services is a good idea but the HS2 monstrosity is an eye-watering waste of money to rip up our unspoiled countryside without even bothering to pick up passengers from the communities it devastates.

Score: 4

christhegoth
3:42pm Sat 24 May 14

Apologies. The link I issued with my previous comment is here:

http://tinyurl.com/q
hd7tnf

Shareholders are the most expensive loan you can get. They only really make Bankers rich. No-one else.

Apologies. The link I issued with my previous comment is here:
http://tinyurl.com/q
hd7tnf
Shareholders are the most expensive loan you can get. They only really make Bankers rich. No-one else.christhegoth

Apologies. The link I issued with my previous comment is here:

http://tinyurl.com/q
hd7tnf

Shareholders are the most expensive loan you can get. They only really make Bankers rich. No-one else.

Score: 0

David7
11:17am Tue 27 May 14

It may be a ‘new’ operator, in name, but it’s still GoVia, which owns Southern Rail. So don’t expect any improvements. It also previously operated the Thameslink franchise.

GoVia runs Southern, SouthEastern and London Midland. GoVia in turn is 65% owned by GoAhead.

So the same fingers are in the pies, and the promises of improvements are likely to be hollow – the same people don’t seem able to carry out these improvements now!

A tiny bit of research by the author wouldn’t have gone amiss, rather than a straight rehash of a press release.

It may be a ‘new’ operator, in name, but it’s still GoVia, which owns Southern Rail. So don’t expect any improvements. It also previously operated the Thameslink franchise.
GoVia runs Southern, SouthEastern and London Midland. GoVia in turn is 65% owned by GoAhead.
So the same fingers are in the pies, and the promises of improvements are likely to be hollow – the same people don’t seem able to carry out these improvements now!
A tiny bit of research by the author wouldn’t have gone amiss, rather than a straight rehash of a press release.David7

It may be a ‘new’ operator, in name, but it’s still GoVia, which owns Southern Rail. So don’t expect any improvements. It also previously operated the Thameslink franchise.

GoVia runs Southern, SouthEastern and London Midland. GoVia in turn is 65% owned by GoAhead.

So the same fingers are in the pies, and the promises of improvements are likely to be hollow – the same people don’t seem able to carry out these improvements now!

A tiny bit of research by the author wouldn’t have gone amiss, rather than a straight rehash of a press release.

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